Seeder



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. M. POORB.

SEEDER.

Patented Sept UNITED r STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. PooRE, or SPRING VALLEY, MINNESOTA.

SEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 567,359, dated September 8, 1896. Application iiled August l0, 1895. Serial No. 558,896. (No model.)

To all whom, it www concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. POORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring Valley, in the county of Fillmore and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Seeder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to seeders or planters of the class in which seed is sown broadcast and is covered by means of a harrow or similar device, the objects in view being to provide a simple, strong, and durable frame, to provide improved connections between a ground-wheel and the seeding devices, to pro vide simple and eiiicient means for discharging and spreading or broadcasting the seed, and, furthermore, to provide eflicient means for the connection of the frame of the seeder with the draft-bars of a harrow, smoother, or similar device. Further objects and advantages of this inventionpwill appear in the following'description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a seeder constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the mechanism for communicating motion from the ground-wheel to the longitudinal shaft. Figs.A 7, 8, and 9 are detail views showing diiferent means for arranging the movable partitions in the seedbox. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the means for adjusting the feedcylinders. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the universal joint with which the longitudinal shaft is provided. Fig. 12 is a detail view of one of fthe supporting-arms and the clamp suspended thereon for connec- .tion to the draft-bars.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding drawings..f

1 designates a seedbox having continuous parts in all the figures of the si front and rear walls and a floor provided at intervals-with outlet-openings 2, and bolted to the rear side ofsaid box is an angle-bar 3 of cross sectionally angular construction, which is `curved rearward ly at its center from the box to forni an arch or segment 4. This arch or segment is spanned in rear of the box by a cross-brace 5, having a forwardly-extending arm or projection 6 bolted to the under side of the seedbox.

The floor of the seedbox preferably inclines downward in opposite directions toward each outlet-openingV in ordervto direct the seed toward said openings, and arranged at the centers of the intervals between the openings are movable partitions 7 to prevent the seed from moving toward and accumulating at one end of the seedbox. Said partitions are movable in order that they may be displaced to facilitate the emptying and cleaning of the box, and in the drawings l have illustrated several ways of mounting the partitions. In Fig. 7 each partition is hinged at its rear edge to thev rear side of the seedbox, as shown at 8, and is provided at its front edge with a hook or catch 9 to engage a suitable keeper on the front side of the box. In

Fig. 8 the front and rear edges ofn the partitions are fitted in grooves 10, formed in the front and rear walls of the box, and in Fig.

9 the partitions are pivoted at their upper edges by means of forwardly andrearwardly extending trunnions 1l, seated in the upper edges of the front and rear walls, the lower edges of the partitions being held means of catches or hooks 12.

Extending rearwardly from the centerbrace 5, which forms a part of the hopper or seedbox frame, and pivotally connected to said part, is a pivotal frame 13, comprisingfcontiguous angle-bars bolted 'together at intervals and separated at their rear ends to form a fork 14, in which is arranged a groundwheel 15. The front end of this pivotal frame is providedwith clips 16, connected to the in place by r brace 5, and in rear of said clips is a-guide 17, which engages the horizontal iiange of the arch 4.

The cross-sectionally angular bars-or beams forming the pivotal frame are secured together with their vertical anges at the outer sides of the frame and their horizontal iianges in contact at their inner edges, thus forming beneath the frame a longitudinal space inclosed at its top and sides, through which extends a longitudinal shaft 18. mounted at its front end in a' bearing-box IOO This shaft is 19, atts rear end in a bearing-box 20, and at an intermediate point, contiguous to the point of separation of the beams comprising the frame, in a bearing-box 21. The bearingbox 19 is arranged beneath the cross-brace 5, and in rear of said bearing-box, and directly under the pivotal point of connection of the frame 13 with the hopper or seedbox frame, the shaft or spindle 18 is provided with a universal joint 22. This universal joint consists of cross-heads 23 and 24, carried, respectively, by thev members of the shaft or spindle and n mounted in perpendicularly-disposed bearings in the connected caps"V or plates 25, said caps or plates being secured together by means of bolts 2G. This joint provides for the transmission of rotary motion from the rear to the front member of the shaft or spindle Without interfering with the lateral swinging movement of the pivotal frame 13.

The ground-wheel 15 is provided with a shaft or spindle 27, mounted in bearings 28, supported by the angle-beams, said shaft or spindle having a bevel-gear 29, and the shaft or spindle 18 is provided in rear of the bearing-box 2O with a similar bevel-gear 30, which meshes with the gear 29.

Secured to the under side of the hopper or seedbox, and communicating, respectively', with the outlet-openings 2 in the bottom thereof, are cupsV 3l, provided with openings 32, which are preferably arranged in the lower rear sides of the cups, and extending axially through said cups is a seeder-shaft 33, which is connected by means of intermeshing gears 34 and 35 with the front end of the shaft or spindle 18. The seeder-shaft is provided at intervals corresponding with the intervals between the openings 2, and mounted, respectively, in the cups 31, with feed-cylinders 36. Each feed -cylinder comprises a smooth-surfaced section 37, tting snugly in the cup, and a. ribbed or corrugated section 38, also adapted to fit in the cup, and so constructed as to carry seed received from the opening 2 to the opening 2 when the seedershaft is in motion. Hence when the corrugated sections of the feed-cylinders are opposite the openings in the hopper or seedbox the seed is conveyed to and discharged through the openings 32; but by moving the seeder-shaft axially the solid or smoothesurfaced sections of the feed cylinders are brought opposite said openings to close the latter and prevent the escape of seed. This axial motion of the seeder-shaft is communicated thereto by means of a hand-lever 39, which is connected to a yoke 40, secured to the shaft, and in order to provide for continuous communication of motion from the shaft or spindle 18 to the shaft 33 the bevelgear 34 on said shaft 33 is feathered' and is held from lateral movement with the shaft by means of ears 41, disposed upon either side thereof.

Arranged belowthe plane of the outlet openings 32 is a forwardly and downwardly inclined chute or broadcasting-plate 42, provided at its extremities with slotted brackets 43, secured by means of bolts 44 to ears 45, depending from the hopper or seedbox. Said broadcasting-plate may be arranged in any desired angular position and may be projected more or less to the front, as may be necessary in the operation of the mechanism.

The means which I employ for securing the hopper or seedbox frame to the draft-bars 46 of a harrow or similar device (not shown) consist of forwardly and downwardly inclined supporting-arms 47, bolted at their upper ends, as shown at 48, to the angle-bar 3, and provided at their front ends with lateral extensions 49, upon which are fitted eyes 50, at the upper ends-of clamps 51. These clamps are thus swiveled upon the extensions 49 of the supportingarms and are held from displacement by means of keys 52, engaging suitable transverse openings in said extensions. The clamps are bifurcated, as shown at 53,l to receive the draft-bars 46, and the extremities of the arms formed by the bifurcation are connected by means of a clamping-bolt 54, which,when tightened, causes the contraction of the arms and the clamping of the parts at the desired adjustment. By means of the construction thus described the seeder mechanism may be arranged in any desired position with relation to the hopper or other covering device which is employed in connection therewith. Lateral adjustment of the supporting-arms is provided for by means of series of openings 48n in the flange of the beam 3 for engagement by the bolt 48.

In addition to the above mechanism I employ means for checking the seeding devices by throwing the gear 30 out of engagement with the gear 29, said means including a handbar 55, slotted at its rear end, as at 57, and arranged in operative relation with a bracket 56, which supports a thumb-screw 58, engaging said slot. The gear 3() is provided with a grooved collar 61, with which engages a sleeve 62 on the front end of thehand-bar 55, and the gear is mounted to slide upon a crosssectionally angular portion 63 of the shaft 18. By moving the hand-bar forwardly and rear- Wardly the gear 30 may be disengaged from or engaged with the gear 29. p

Arranged between the rear ends of the beams on the pivotal frame, in rear of the ground-wheel 15, is a cross-bar 59, carrying a scraper G0.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe re sorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a hopper, seeding mechanism and means for operating the same, of an adjustable broadcasting-plate arranged in the path of seed discharged from the hop per, slotted brackets secured to the distribute ing-plate and having their slots arranged par IOO IOS

IIO

allel with the planeof the plate, and fixed bolts engaging said slots, the distributingplate being capable of both angular and forward and rearward adjustment to cause it to properly receive and broadcast the seed, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a hopper and seeddischargingv mechanism, and draft-bars, of supporting-arms secured to the hopper and inclined downwardly toward their front ends, clamps removably tted upon extensions of said supporting-arms, said clamps being bifurcated to form separated arms between which said draft-bars are arranged, and clamping-bolts for adjusting the free ends of the arms whereby the clamps may be secured to the draft-bars at the desired points, substantially as speciied.

3. The combination with a hopper, of an angle-bar secured to the rear side thereof and having a rearwardly-bowed central portion forming an arch, a longitudinal frame pivoted concentric with said arch and provided Vwith a guide engaging the arch, a ground-- wheel mounted in bearings upon the longitudinal frame, seed-discharging mechanism coperating with outlet-openings in the hopper, and connections between the groundwheel and said discharging mechanism, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with a hopper and seeddischarging mechanism, of a longitudinal frame pivotally connected to the hopper and capable of a lateral swinging movement at its rear end, said frame comprising anglebeams separated at their rear ends, a groundwheel mounted in bearings between the separated rear ends of said angle-beams, a shaft or spindle mounted in bearings upon and arranged parallel with said beams, connections between the shaft or spindle and the groundwheel, connections between the front end of the shaft or spindle and the seed-discharging mechanism, and a universal joint in the shaft or spindle contiguous to the pivotal point of connection of the longitudinal frame with the hopper, substantially as specified.

5. The combinationwith a hopper,of a transverse angle-beam secured to the hopper and provided at its center with a rearwardly-extending arch, a cross-bar spanning said arch, a longitudinal frame pivotally connected to the cross-bar concentric with the arch and provided with a guide mounted upon a flange of the arch, seed-discharging mechanism, a shaft or spindle mounted parallel with the 4longitudinal frame operatively connected with said seed-discharging mechanism, said shaft or spindle being provided contiguous to the pivotal point of the longitudinal frame with a universal joint, a ground-wheel, and connections between the ground-wheel and the shaft or spindle, substantially as specified. In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. POORE. Witnesses PAUL KUEHN, R. I-I. J UDD. 

